HYDERABAD, May 22: The Andhra Pradesh government is considering the options available before it to restrain Maharashtra from going ahead with the 16 medium and minor irrigation projects on the river Krishna, in violation of the award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT).

In a two-pronged strategy, the Andhra Pradesh government may bring pressure on Maharashtra through the United Front government at the Centre on the one hand, while taking recourse to legal remedy on the other.

According to sources, the Chandrababu Naidu government need have no hesitation in tackling the Shiv Sena-BJP dispensation in Maharashtra as it will not upset the power equations within the United Front. Facing a similar situation on the Almatti issue with Karnataka, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is convenor of the United Front steering committee, had to tread gingerly so as not to ruffle the Janata Dal government there.

This time, the Andhra Pradesh government may insist on a formal and official body to monitor or supervise the implementation of the projects. This is expected as AP's experience earlier with a non-official panel in the Almatti issue proved to be unsuccessful in restraining Karnataka from raising the height of the dam.

On the legal front, the Andhra government can approach the Supreme Court with all the relevant documents obtained through its good offices with the Centre.

Dealing with the issue politically, the chief minister may pressurise the UF government not to fund the Maharashtra projects through Centrally-sponsored schemes.

Meanwhile, Chandrababu Naidu wrote to Union Water Resources Minister Jnaneswar Mishra, on Wednesday, to put a stop to construction of various projects undertaken by Maharashtra on the Krishna river, which were in violation of the KWDT award.

Expressing fears over the prospects of Maharashtra utilising around 1,100 tmc water as against its allocated 580 tmc through a large number of new medium, minor and lift irrigation schemes, the chief minister said the interests of the downstream state of Andhra Pradesh would be jeopardised.

He urged Mishra to direct the Central Water Commission (CWC) to review the clearances, if any, given to Maharashtra and pending such review to direct the State to desist from further construction.

Naidu asked the Union minister to advise the CWC to furnish detailed project reports to facilitate scrutiny from the inter-state angle. Mishra was urged to instruct various Central agencies to stop further funding of the projects under any of the Centrally-sponsored schemes, including Rural Infrastructure Development Fund.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.